Analyzing the effects of father\u27s antisocial behavior on mothers and children: a longitudinal study of single-parent families

This study examines changes in mothers\u27 and adolescent mental health and behavioral measures in recently divorced single parent families. Overall, mothers in the study showed improvement in multiple measures of mental health over the course of this three year study. Single mother\u27s problems with drinking also improved over time. Lower income women whose former spouse had problems with alcohol showed the most improvement in anxiety over time. Women who reported more physically abusive behavior prior to their divorce also reported the most improvement in depression over time. Women who continued to experience abuse in the post-divorce setting continued to have more problems with substance use, anxiety, and depression compared to other groups in the study. Mothers\u27 reports of their former spouse problems with substance use predicted differences or changes in adolescent delinquency, antisocial behavior, and mastery. Mothers\u27 reports of emotional abuse prior to the divorce predicted differences or changes in adolescent anxiety, depression, delinquency, antisocial behavior and drug use. Mothers\u27 report of the former spouses\u27 physically abusive behavior predicted differences or changes in adolescent antisocial behavior, while targets\u27 report of witnessing physical abuse by the father produced different outcomes in self-esteem by gender. Targets\u27 report of witnessing emotional abuse by the father predicted significant differences or changes over time in self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and antisocial behavior. Father\u27s level of post-divorce abusive behavior to adolescents was significantly related to differences or changes in adolescent mastery, anxiety, self-esteem, delinquency, and drug use

Effect of the Fatigue Induced by a 110-km Ultramarathon on Tibial Impact Acceleration and Lower Leg Kinematics

Ultramarathon runners are exposed to a high number of impact shocks and to severe neuromuscular fatigue. Runners may manage mechanical stress and muscle fatigue by changing their running kinematics. Our purposes were to study (i) the effects of a 110-km mountain ultramarathon (MUM) on tibial shock acceleration and lower limb kinematics, and (ii) whether kinematic changes are modulated according to the severity of neuromuscular fatigue. Twenty-three runners participated in the study. Pre- and post-MUM, neuromuscular tests were performed to assess knee extensor (KE) and plantar flexor (PF) central and peripheral fatigue, and a treadmill running bouts was completed during which step frequency, peak acceleration, median frequency and impact frequency content were measured from tibial acceleration, as well as foot-to-treadmill, tibia-to-treadmill, and ankle flexion angles at initial contact, and ankle range of motion using video analysis. Large neuromuscular fatigue, including peripheral changes and deficits in voluntary activation, was observed in KE and PF. MVC decrements of ~35% for KE and of ~28% for PF were noted. Among biomechanical variables, step frequency increased by ~2.7% and the ankle range of motion decreased by ~4.1% post-MUM. Runners adopting a non rearfoot strike pre-MUM adopted a less plantarflexed foot strike pattern post-MUM while those adopting a rearfoot strike pre-MUM tended to adopt a less dorsiflexed foot strike pattern post-MUM. Positive correlations were observed between percent changes in peripheral PF fatigue and the ankle range of motion. Peripheral PF fatigue was also significantly correlated to both percent changes in step frequency and the ankle angle at contact. This study suggests that in a fatigued state, ultratrail runners use compensatory/protective adjustments leading to a flatter foot landing and this is done in a fatigue dose-dependent manner. This strategy may aim at minimizing the overall load applied to the musculoskeletal system, including impact shock and muscle stretch

Species diversity and biogeography of an ancient frog clade from the Guiana Shield (Anura: Microhylidae: Adelastes, Otophryne, Synapturanus) exhibiting spectacular phenotypic diversification

The outstanding biodiversity of the Guiana Shield has raised many questions about its origins and evolution. Frogs of the genera Adelastes, Otophryne and Synapturanus form an ancient lineage distributed mostly across this region. These genera display strikingly disparate morphologies and life-history traits. Notably, Synapturanus is conspicuously adapted to fossoriality and is the only genus within this group to have dispersed further into Amazonia. Moreover, morphological differences among Synapturanus species suggest different degrees of fossoriality that might be linked to their biogeographical history. Through integrative analysis of genetic, morphometric and acoustic data, we delimited 25 species in this clade, representing a fourfold increase. We found that the entire clade started to diversify ~55 Mya and Synapturanus ~30 Mya. Members of this genus probably dispersed three times out of the Guiana Shield both before and after the Pebas system, a wetland ecosystem occupying most of Western Amazonia during the Miocene. Using a three-dimensional osteological dataset, we characterized a high morphological disparity across the three genera. Within Synapturanus, we further characterized distinct phenotypes that emerged concomitantly with dispersals during the Miocene and possibly represent adaptations to different habitats, such as soils with different physical properties.Peer reviewe

The 10th Biennial Hatter Cardiovascular Institute workshop: cellular protection—evaluating new directions in the setting of myocardial infarction, ischaemic stroke, and cardio-oncology

Due to its poor capacity for regeneration, the heart is particularly sensitive to the loss of contractile cardiomyocytes. The onslaught of damage caused by ischaemia and reperfusion, occurring during an acute myocardial infarction and the subsequent reperfusion therapy, can wipe out upwards of a billion cardiomyocytes. A similar program of cell death can cause the irreversible loss of neurons in ischaemic stroke. Similar pathways of lethal cell injury can contribute to other pathologies such as left ventricular dysfunction and heart failure caused by cancer therapy. Consequently, strategies designed to protect the heart from lethal cell injury have the potential to be applicable across all three pathologies. The investigators meeting at the 10th Hatter Cardiovascular Institute workshop examined the parallels between ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), ischaemic stroke, and other pathologies that cause the loss of cardiomyocytes including cancer therapeutic cardiotoxicity. They examined the prospects for protection by remote ischaemic conditioning (RIC) in each scenario, and evaluated impasses and novel opportunities for cellular protection, with the future landscape for RIC in the clinical setting to be determined by the outcome of the large ERIC-PPCI/CONDI2 study. It was agreed that the way forward must include measures to improve experimental methodologies, such that they better reflect the clinical scenario and to judiciously select combinations of therapies targeting specific pathways of cellular death and injury

Does childhood trauma predict poorer metacognitive abilities in people with first-episode psychosis?

Research suggests that people with first-episode psychosis (FEP) report more childhood traumas and have lower metacognitive abilities than non-clinical controls. Childhood trauma negatively affects metacognitive development in population studies, while the association remains largely unexplored in FEP populations. Metacognition refers to the identification of thoughts and feelings and the formation of complex ideas about oneself and others. This study hypothesized that childhood trauma would be associated with lower metacognitive abilities in people with FEP. In a representative sample of 92 persons with non-affective FEP, we assessed childhood trauma, metacognitive abilities and symptoms of psychosis. We used the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) and the Metacognitive Assessment Scale––Abbreviated which includes Self-reflectivity, Awareness of the Mind of the Other, Decentration and Mastery. Hierarchical regression analyses were performed with metacognitive domains as outcome variables and childhood traumas as independent variables, while controlling for age, gender, first-degree psychiatric illness and negative symptoms. We found few significant associations between the different types of childhood trauma and metacognitive domains, and they suggested childhood trauma are associated with better metacognitive abilities. Study limitations included the cross-sectional design and use of self-report measures. Future studies could preferably be prospective and include different measures of psychopathology and neuropsychology

Optimizing Staining Protocols for Laser Microdissection of Specific Cell Types from the Testis Including Carcinoma In Situ

Microarray and RT-PCR based methods are important tools for analysis of gene expression; however, in tissues containing many different cells types, such as the testis, characterization of gene expression in specific cell types can be severely hampered by noise from other cells. The laser microdissection technology allows for enrichment of specific cell types. However, when the cells are not morphologically distinguishable, it is necessary to use a specific staining method for the target cells. In this study we have tested different fixatives, storage conditions for frozen sections and staining protocols, and present two staining protocols for frozen sections, one for fast and specific staining of fetal germ cells, testicular carcinoma in situ cells, and other cells with embryonic stem cell-like properties that express the alkaline phosphatase, and one for specific staining of lipid droplet-containing cells, which is useful for isolation of the androgen-producing Leydig cells. Both protocols retain a morphology that is compatible with laser microdissection and yield RNA of a quality suitable for PCR and microarray analysis

Comparative field study of shallow rhyolite intrusions in Iceland:emplacement mechanisms and impact on country rocks

Shallow silicic intrusions are known to exist in many active volcanoes and can fuel both eruptions and hydrothermal fields. However, our knowledge of magma intrusions remains far from complete, and processes occurring at intrusion margins are poorly understood. In this field-based study, we characterise four shallows, dissected rhyolitic intrusions at three sites in Iceland (Njarðvík-Dyrfjöll, Krafla and Húsafell central volcanoes). We focus on the relationship between intrusion emplacement mechanisms and country rock response, employing scanline mapping of fractures and in-situ rock property measurements (hardness and permeability) along transects from the intrusion margins to damaged and undamaged country rocks.We identify various scenarios of shallow intrusion emplacement style, based upon their diverse geometry and lithofacies architecture. Additional information from rock properties and characteristics of fractures and vesicles, indicates that initial country rock properties strongly influence the emplacement style. We identify two discrete types of country rock response to magma injection. The matrix permeability of weak, porous and permeable lithologies (conglomerate and hyaloclastite) is reduced by >1 order of magnitude adjacent to intrusions due to pore occlusion. Stronger and denser, low-permeability lithologies (basalt and welded ignimbrite) undergo a decrease in hardness by a factor >2 related to an up to fivefold increase in fracture density, with no significant change in matrix permeability.Our observations highlight the importance of robust characterisation of the mechanical properties of caldera-filling or geothermal reservoir formations, for appropriate forecasting of magma mobility, geophysical data interpretation, and geothermal resources characterisation

Analyzing the effects of father's antisocial behavior on mothers and children: a longitudinal study of single-parent families

This study examines changes in mothers' and adolescent mental health and behavioral measures in recently divorced single parent families. Overall, mothers in the study showed improvement in multiple measures of mental health over the course of this three year study. Single mother's problems with drinking also improved over time. Lower income women whose former spouse had problems with alcohol showed the most improvement in anxiety over time. Women who reported more physically abusive behavior prior to their divorce also reported the most improvement in depression over time. Women who continued to experience abuse in the post-divorce setting continued to have more problems with substance use, anxiety, and depression compared to other groups in the study. Mothers' reports of their former spouse problems with substance use predicted differences or changes in adolescent delinquency, antisocial behavior, and mastery. Mothers' reports of emotional abuse prior to the divorce predicted differences or changes in adolescent anxiety, depression, delinquency, antisocial behavior and drug use. Mothers' report of the former spouses' physically abusive behavior predicted differences or changes in adolescent antisocial behavior, while targets' report of witnessing physical abuse by the father produced different outcomes in self-esteem by gender. Targets' report of witnessing emotional abuse by the father predicted significant differences or changes over time in self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and antisocial behavior. Father's level of post-divorce abusive behavior to adolescents was significantly related to differences or changes in adolescent mastery, anxiety, self-esteem, delinquency, and drug use.</p